Following are just a few examples of how Northland Pines staff and students volunteer to make a positive difference in our communities and, in some cases, around the world.

Adopt-A-Highway – In addition to all the ways our National Honor Society members volunteer throughout the community, a NEW activity was established this year. They are now part of Wisconsin's "Adopt-A-Highway" campaign. They have "adopted" 2 miles of state highway 45 North and they are responsible for cleaning those 2 miles three times each year!

After school Bike Club and after school Cross Country Ski Club - Weather permitting of course. Lou Clark and Wendy Renk have taken anyone who wants to bike out for about 1 & 1/2 hours after school. Wendy also takes kids out skiing for about the same amount of time, except this year as the weather has been uncooperative so far.

All American Kids Club - The All American Kids Club was started in the fall of 2012 to instill a sense of pride and patriotism in Kindergarten through 5th grade students, while thanking veterans for their service. The All American Kids Club would like to thank all of those that support our club and efforts, and thank you to all veterans for your service and sacrifice! If you would like more information about the AAKC, please contact Sarah Simac or Nanci Foster at Eagle River Elementary School. Click here to follow them on facebook. In February 2014 the All American Kids Club teamed up with the Eagle River Fire Department to buy 2 Honor Flight Tickets to suprise 2 local Veterans. Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Caps for Caden – Normally students are not allowed to wear caps in any of our schools. However, we allow kids at Eagle River Elementary to wear caps one day for any size donation and the proceeds go to a local family who has a child fighting a serious or chronic disease, in loving memory of our sweet student Caden Safer.

Clean boats/clean water; shoreline monitoring - Staff volunteer to look for invasive species on boats at boat landings and along the shorelines in our communities.

Clothing Drive – The Eagle River PTO and the Northland Pines Middle School PTSO sponsored a Clothing Drive to help the families in our community. Clothes are donated and collected by staff and students. Then local families come in and take anything that they needed. The extra clothes are then bagged and delivered to the new Northwoods Share Needs Pantry located at "The Rock". This is just one way we can give back to our community for their support of our schools. Click here for the photos from 2014.

CPR/AED certified Staff – 95 Northland Pines staff members have been trained and certified in CPR/AED use during the 2013-14 school year …."About 92 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital, but statistics prove that if more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. Immediate CPR can double, or even triple, a victim’s chance of survival."

CPR/First Aid - Students in Health classes learn CPR/first aid in a shorter version right now; next year students will be fully certified in CPR/First Aid. The more students trained, the more likely we are to be able to save a life one day.

Cranberry Fest – The Northland Pines Middle School staff and students have volunteered to run the Funnel Cake Booth at Cranberry Fest for the past twelve years. Students and staff work together to prepare the ever popular funnel cakes. Many students also help out the Chamber by working in the food tent, scooping up fresh cranberries or keeping the grounds clean as part of their community service. Volunteering is another way we give back to our community.

Eagle River Elementary’s Mission Possible’s Running Club - Mission Possible’s Running Club has joined forces with the school’s students, staff and parents to support the American Cancer Society through Eagle River’s Annual Relay for Life of the Northwoods, Saturday, June 20, 2014. Mission Possibles, in its third year of operation, introduces elementary school students to the fun of running at a young age as an exciting way to help develop healthy habits for life. Students and volunteer staff work together to develop the strength and courage needed to not only successfully participate in Eagle River’s Journey’s Marathon 5k event, but to enhance existing positive character traits, conflict resolution skills, healthy living choices, and community service involvement. The funds raised from the Relay for Life event will help the American Cancer Society save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Visit cancer.org to learn about some of the programs and services the American Cancer society offers in our area. If you are interested in supporting the Eagle River Elementary School Mission Possibles Relay for Life Team, please contact Sara Adamovich sadamovich@npsd.k12.wi.us or Gretchen Yagow gyagow@npsd.k12.wi.us. Click here to follow them on twitter.

Earth Day – Each year high school students and staff take to the streets to help “clean up” our communities. Students volunteer to rake leaves and do various other yard chores for free to help out citizens in our communities.

Family Fun Days/Open Gyms/Open Climb - The Physical Education staff volunteers their time for these events for the community. Wendy Renk reserves the entire field house and she usually has 2-4 PE staff members there to help oversee activities and the climbing wall. Families come in and play basketball, volleyball, kickball, hit in the batting cages, and rock climb just to name a few of the activities. This is FREE and open to the public. Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Frederick Place Fundraiser - Northland Pines Middle School 6th, 7th, and 8th graders raised $2,100 for a local shelter in just five days. The fundraiser started out as a competition between the grades. Students donated a dollar to buy a brick. The goal was to be the first class to build a house with the bricks. All grades completed their houses on the same day. Their giving spirit inspired local businesses to donate. "It was truly a testimonial to the fact that when educated about what are some good causes to reach out to, they come forward and can really see beyond their own needs," said Student Council co-advisor Becky Pokrandt. The middle school's student council organized the fundraiser. They decided to give the money to Frederick Place, a shelter in Rhinelander. "To go from a $300 thought to a $2,100 donation, obviously has exceeded our expectations and we are thrilled and very proud," added Pokrandt. Students also donated canned goods to Frederick Place. The shelter opened 3 years ago and has served more than 290 people. Click here to view photos from 2013.Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Knit for a Cure – Land O’Lakes Grades 2 through 5 knit scarves that are sold to raise money for Relay for Life to help fight cancer.

Land O’Lakes Food Pantry – In celebration of the 100th Day of School, students and staff at the Land O' Lakes Elementary school held their annual 100th Day Food Drive in hopes of collecting 100 boxes/cans/packages of food for the local food pantry. The whole Land O' Lakes Elementary School helped donate food. The Kindergarten class then counts the food to see how much they have collected. Then they haul all the food over to the food pantry on sleds; the kids take turns pulling the sleds. In 2013-14, they were able to collect 159 food items! 18 Kindergartners made the trip pulling 9 sleds. While they were in the Headwaters Food Pantry, the ladies there made sure they each got a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie! They also all got to sign their names on a chalkboard displayed at the Food Pantry. On the way back to school the kids took turns pulling each other in the sleds. Click here for photos from 2013-14.Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Library Media Center High School - Through Night School we have tutored, helped adults get a diploma or GED, helped an individual earn citizenship and worked with a variety of adults learning English. The LMC is open to the public until 7:00 p.m. and has free Internet access.

National Honor Society Members – All of our National Honor Society members volunteer a minimum of 40 hrs. per school year throughout the community.

Pennies for Patience - The students of St. Germain Elementary School participated in Pennies for Patience. The challenge was two-fold. First, the class with the highest total in pennies would be rewarded with a pizza party. Second, if we collectively raised more than $500, then something very exciting would happen. Students met and exceeded the goals by bringing in over $700 in pennies. All of these funds were donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. WJFW Newswatch 12 did a story on this and students got to see the biggest Bears fan ever (Jerry Healy, a custodian at St. Germain Elementary School) transform into a Packer fan for the day. Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Pink Night – Pink night is sponsored by the Volleyball booster club in honor of October-breast cancer awareness month. Members of the booster club collected donations from area businesses as well as national organizations for a raffle on pink night. There were also pink items to buy. Through an anonymous donation, the booster club was able to purchase pink jerseys for the varsity team to wear during the month of October. Pink night t-shirts were sold to for the special occasion. The staff and students helped raise money by coming to the game, buying raffle tickets and participating in the activities. The money is donated to Relay for Life. This year $1,900 was raised this was the second year the volleyball team held this event.

Project Unify – High School students and staff help with this program to unify special needs students with regular education students, through kindness and collaboration, to the end of encouraging understanding of students with disabilities and promoting acceptance between all of our students. Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.Click here to visit their website.

Red Cross Shelters – All Northland Pines buildings have been designated as Red Cross Shelters in the event of family or community disasters.

Relay for Life – Staff and students volunteer to participate on teams for Relay for Life. There are two elementary teams, one from SOAR Charter School and one from Eagle River Elementary School and over 300 students participate to raise money to help fight cancer.

Salvation Army – Staff and students volunteer to “ring the bell” in order to raise money for the Salvation Army during the holiday season.

Special Olympics - Many staff volunteer to help coach special needs athletes in bowling, snowshoeing and with track and field events. Staff also volunteers at Young Athletes; a sports play program for children of ALL abilities ages 2-7, focusing on physical, cognitive and social development.

Thanksgiving Dinner Bags – It has become a tradition for the Northland Pines School District to help out the Vilas Food Pantry and its families. Each year, the staff and students at St. Germain Elementary, Eagle River Elementary, Northland Pines Middle School, Northland Pines High School and some local businesses, work together to fill over 300 bags with the items needed for a tasty Thanksgiving dinner. The bags are collected and then delivered to the food pantry as our way of sharing and caring for our community. Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.Click here to view the photos from 2013.

Thousand Smiles - Land O Lakes Elementary School staff and students volunteer to raise money for people in Haiti who need dental work.

Veterans’ Day Assembly – Each year the Northland Pines School District plans a Veterans Day Assembly to honor our veterans, both past and present. It is a time for looking back, a time for looking forward and a time to say thank you to the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight to protect the freedom and rights that we enjoy as Americans. Student speakers, elementary through high school chorus and music students and the middle school and high school band take part in the ceremony. Members of the V.F.W. and Ladies’ Auxiliary join in the tribute to our veterans. This is an opportunity to thank the Veterans from around the Eagle River area and beyond for their service to our country. Click here to watch the video of the 2013 NPSD's Veteran's Day Program.

Warm The Children – Staff donates winter clothing (hats, scarves, coats, mittens, boots, etc.) to this organization which helps our communities’ families in need of these items during the cold winter months.

Warm The Heart - Students in grades 3 through 5 in St. Germain make a dry soup mix, bag it up, attach a personal message and donate it to the Food Pantry. The program uses a blend of both community service as well as math to teach the kids about helping the community. Since the program started, the kids have produced nearly 200 soup donations. Around 50 students participated in creating the expressive donations. We hope to continue the project for many years to come.Click here to view photos from the event.Click here to watch the WJFW Newswatch 12 story.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands at Community Events – Numerous staff and students volunteer at the following community events. A few of these events bring quite an economic boost to our communities and these are just a few more examples of how Northland Pines students and staff give back to the communities who support us so kindly:

Concealed Carry Law & SchoolsWisconsin's Concealed Carry Law went into effect Nov. 1, 2011. No one, including a concealed-carry licensee, can carry a firearm on school grounds. This includes school buildings, athletic fields, recreation areas, and property owned, used or operated for school administration. For more information on the Concealed Carry Law, please visit http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/